1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector with a metal shell.
2. Description of Related Art
Low profile connectors, such as those used in SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) applications are desired in electronic devices in which space is at a premium and thus it is difficult to guide the opposing mating plug connectors into contact with such connectors. The plug connector typically includes a circuit card that has a projecting edge that is received within a card opening in the SFP connector. Shielding cages are typically utilized with such connectors to control the emission of electromagnetic interference. These cages often serve as a secondary housing for the connector in that they substantially enclose the connectors. The small size of the SFP style connectors makes it difficult to ensure that the opposing mating connectors mate easily with the SFP connectors, especially in a blind mating application.
For example, U.S. Pub. No. 20060040556A1 discloses an SFP-style connector with a metal shell encompassing the connector. The metal shell has an opening that defines an entrance through which an opposing mating connector may be inserted. The entrance includes one or more guide members that extend into the center of the housing and provide a guide for guiding an opposing mating connector into engagement with the circuit board connector. However, the opposing mating connector also needs corresponding keyways mating with the guiding members of the metal shell. As the guiding members may be located at different places of the metal shell and the keyways also need be defined in the different places of the opposing mating connector. However, this kind of SFP-style connectors and the opposing mating connectors are relatively complex in manufacture and costly in manufacture cost; on the other hand, it may be inconvenient for users to choose and use the SFP-style connectors and the opposing connectors. Those two shortcomings are not glad to be seen by manufacturers and customers.
Hence, an improved electrical connector with a metal shell is highly desired to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.